> > Do those who have large grass pastures available feed their horses > solely on pasture from the time the grass comes in till it dies in the > winter? Or do many still hay their horses in addition to pasture? How > many hours/day are they on pasture?
Trish, I hope you don't mind a better late than never response. When the spring grass first comes in, I make sure the horses have a little hay before going out. I do cut back on the concentrates and the beet pulp when they are getting lots of grass calories. Once I am no longer worried about colic or laminitis from the first flush of grass, the horses spend about 20 to 22 hours a day out and so do not get hay inside. In the middle of summer they do get just a little hay as they are in for about 8 hours to avoid the flies in the heat of the day. The hay is only to keep their digestive system going. I do feed a hay balancer all year long (purina equilizer). Laura in Ontario, Canada.
